حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أَنَسٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَی الْأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ کَمَثَلِ الْأُتْرُنْجَةِ رِيحُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَطَعْمُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَمَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ الَّذِي لَا يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ کَمَثَلِ التَّمْرَةِ لَا رِيحَ لَهَا وَطَعْمُهَا حُلْوٌ وَمَثَلُ الْمُنَافِقِ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ کَمَثَلِ الرَّيْحَانَةِ رِيحُهَا طَيِّبٌ وَطَعْمُهَا مُرٌّ وَمَثَلُ الْمُنَافِقِ الَّذِي لَا يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ کَمَثَلِ الْحَنْظَلَةِ رِيحُهَا مُرٌّ وَطَعْمُهَا مُرٌّ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَی هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ شُعْبَةُ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ أَيْضًا
جامع ترمذی · Hadith 2865
Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) narrated: The parable of the believer who recites the Qur'an is that of a citron, its fragrance is nice and its taste is nice. The parable of the believer who does not recite the Qur'an is that of a date, it has no smell but its taste is sweet. The parable of the hypocrite who recites the Qur'an is that of basil, its fragrance is nice but its taste is bitter. The parable of the hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an is that of the colocynth, its smell is better and its taste is bitter.'
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020